EU Caution Apple over Potential iPhone 15 USB-C MFi Scheme

The EU has warned Apple over the potential iPhone 15 USB-C MFi Scheme! What is Apple’s MFi Scheme and how does it affect the EU laws?

European law has been trying hard to get Apple to get USB-C on their phones to make iPhones more adaptable, more user, and environment-friendly, but it would, of course, drop Apple’s profits. 

Recently, finally, the EU has forced Apple to switch to a USB-C port by Autumn 2024. And according to the news, Apple is introducing this in their latest iPhone 15 models that will be released mid-sept this year. But wait, there’s a catch, as we can expect from Apple.

Let us see what this catch is and how the EU is reacting to it!

USB – C will be mandatory for all smartphones in Europe by Autumn 2024

The USB Type-C port has emerged as the new standard for portable devices, offering high-quality charging and data transfers. It is a versatile connector that can handle a range of tasks, including charging, data transfer, and video output, which makes it ideal for use in a variety of devices. So the EU has mandated it for all the smartphones that are to be sold in Europe. 

And, certainly Apple is not happy about it, they get a lot of revenue from the extra accessories they provide. But according to the laws, if they want to continue their business in Europe, they’ll have to abide by these laws. 

Apple is introducing USB – C port in their latest iPhone 15

While Apple has been using its proprietary Lightning connector on its iPhones since 2012, the company has already adopted the USB Type-C standard on its MacBook laptops and iPad Pro tablets. So it’s not entirely implausible that Apple may eventually switch to USB Type-C on its iPhones as well.

iPhone 15 is rumored to have USB-C ports owing to the enforced regulations by the EU. So that means we’ll be able to charge and transfer data of our iPhones with USB-C now?  

There’s a catch.

The Catch – Apple’s MFi Scheme 

Apple’s MFi Program refers to “Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad”. This is a licensing program for Apple’s hardware and software developers who introduce new features in Apple’s iPod, iPad and iPhone. 

Rumors and leaks have confirmed that USB-C ports can only be used for charging iPhones and no data transfer would be possible by them. Also, artificially they are planning on decreasing the charging speed for phones that charge with USB-C compared to lighting ports initially used by Apple.

EU’s Warning

The EU has warned Apple not to pull such stunts as they will violate the terms. Also, if Apple applies these schemes, USB-C will not fulfill its purpose, so the regulations will become pointless.